The use of abrasive products to finish the painted surface of a repaired portion of an automobile is well known. The original painted exterior surfaces of automobiles have a unique “orange peel” surface that is desirably duplicated when repairs are made. While prior coated abrasive products and abrasive slurries, either alone or in combination, typically in the presence of a liquid medium such as water, have been used to finish such surfaces, finishing techniques that use these products have produced less than optimal results.
Various patents disclose products and/or processes which are said to be useful for finishing painted automotive surfaces. See for example, EP 0 771 613 B1, published Apr. 5, 2000, WO 00/03840, published 27 Jan. 2000 based on U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/116,038 filed Jul. 15, 1998, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,634.
Several problems are encountered by use of finishing products and/or techniques that are known in the art. These include the inability to provide a finished orange peel surface that duplicates the original surface. Additionally, some products encounter unwanted sticking to or grabbing between the moistened painted surface being finished and the surface of the abrasive product as it is rotated, for example on a “dual action” sander, or otherwise moved against the surface being finished. Other products are difficult to use. Some are thin with a pressure-sensitive adhesive attachment system and are difficult to remove from a release liner and, when attached to a support pad, are not easily deployed wrinkle-free.
A need exists for a flexible abrasive product which will refine a painted exterior automotive surface to provide a surface finish which, after a subsequent glazing step, substantially duplicates the original painted surface substantially without disturbing the orange peel. A need also exists for a flexible abrasive product which, when used under wet conditions with a dual action sander, will not grab the surface being finished.